faderift | Skyhold

Skyhold

WHO: Anyone & everyone
WHAT: Open post for business as usual around Skyhold
WHEN: The first couple weeks of Harvestmere, 9:41 (aka October)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Please mark any necessary content warnings in thread subject lines. Also, make sure to check out the other log posts already made!

Far from the glamorous adventurous world-saving people signed up for, most of the hustle and bustle in Skyhold at present is cleaning. The Great Hall is a disaster, and crews are assigned to haul out the cracked and rotting planks fallen from the wide-open roof, and tear down the vines covering the walls. Ivy encrusts the main staircase outside and many of the fortress walls and is cleared in section while other groups assess or begin shoring up the stonework as it's revealed. There are scaffolding to build, materials to sort, crates to unload, tents to stitch together or set-up, and on and on and on, endless mundane chores vital to the survival of the organization.

When not hard at work, people cluster around fires across the courtyards. Many mingle freely, going about their business, running errands and messages, planning scouting missions, tallying up supplies, distributing or playing with the sending crystals that were found in a basement vault and which a group of mages have just today finished preparing for use. Once a good number have been passed around and the first Inquisition-wide transmission made messages start being broadcast; maybe you can help someone out.

The rebel mages and renegade templars mainly keep to themselves at opposite sides of the complex given the choice. Mages assist with healing and research and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Templars help train recruits in swordforms and basic combat techniques or spar with the more advanced and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Despite having all pledged themselves to the Inquisition, they still feel like separate factions and tension between them is palpable wherever they cross paths.

Like at meals, or the communal message board in the courtyard, or at the Herald's Rest. The mess hall/tavern is so new it still smells of sawdust, and its stock has been limited to one type of strong ale until today, when a shipment of West Hill brandy has finally arrived. The mood in the place is convivial in celebration of that, but there's still plenty of muttering, especially as the night drags on and the discontented get further into their cups.

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Taking a seat, Ellana sets down her drink in front of her, crossing her arms on the table a moment later. She already did her staring earlier, since she's never seen qunari before. She's never seen any other race besides elves before. Being a mage, her Keeper forbade her from going out into the world for fear the Templars would capture her. But things are different now.

"Yes, that's right. My name is Ellana. A pleasure to meet you, Korrin." And she genuinely means it. Here she is, talking to a stranger! This is a different face than the ones she's been surrounded by in the clan her entire life. It will take some time for the novelty to wear off.

"Did you travel far to join with the Inquisition?"

For her part, Korrin tries not to stare in turn. She's seen elves before, plenty of them, though the Dalish are far less familiar to her. It's difficult for her gaze not to linger on that vallaslin, fascinated by such things, but her drink and the conversation help.

She shakes her head at the question after taking another sip from her mug, a wry smile forming on her lips. "No, not at all. I was already in the area for the Conclave. Some of my company -the Valo-Kas- were acting as security there. I was nearby, just in case, but it all exploded before I could get there. It only made sense to stick around and see what could be done after that."

Nodding along, she remembers her own drink amid her curiosity and takes a sip. She doesn't know anything about companies -- mercenary, she assumes -- who work as security, but she wants to learn more.

"Do you do that often? Protect people as part of your company?"

Korrin nods, trying to savor the new brandy by not downing it too quickly. It usually takes especially strong human brews and in large quantities to render her incoherent, but she's not looking to get drunk just yet anyway. Relaxation is more the goal than anything else and she's just as happy pacing herself.

"Sometimes, yes. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who needed protecting while rebel mages and Templars fought each other. Or maybe you do, if you saw much of that? Even that aside, there are always bandits, hostile wildlife, you name it. There's always something or someone that needs defending, especially with those rifts everywhere."

"Some, on our way to join the Inquisition. It is good that some manage to have protection out there." Not everyone is a skilled fighter, and Ellana has seen enough fallen bodies of the innocent caught in the crossfire to never want to again.

"That's why I'm here. I want to help the defenseless while the Inquisition figures out a way to put the world back to right." She knows how to fight, and she'll do what she can to hold off their enemy as long as she's able. It's good that the Inquisition has taken in the mages, because she knows her skills will be useful and welcome here.

"And having more examples of the good mages can do for people won't hurt when the dust settles, you know." The qunari woman smiles and shrugs, not shy about admitting that it's some of her motivation. "After Redcliffe, I'd say every bit helps. It was a bloody mess out there--literally. Much as I sympathize with the rebels, I can't blame the refugees for being weary of being stuck in the middle."

"Very true. I'm not sure how much ideals can truly change in our lifetime, but I can hope they do for the better." She's certainly hoped her people's ideals could change, at least towards accepting that living as nomads has never been that wonderful in the first place, but she doubts very much that it will.

Pausing for another sip, Korrin relaxes and stretches out a little. She considers propping her feet up on another stool, but the way the tavern is filling up that seems inconsiderate. "As do I. I may have had nothing to do with all that Circle rot, but it doesn't take much to realize that whatever helps them helps us, too. And you never know, with all the upheaval people might finally decide that attempting to keep the status quo would be idiotic."

"It would be nice if the Templars learned they can no longer treat mages as they once did. I'm not sure if it'll happen, but those here in the Inquisition should come to understand that with time. If they can see that the mages here aren't dangerous, maybe they'll take what they learn elsewhere." If nothing else, it's a nice thought.

"But I can already feel a change on the wind, and not because of the rifts either. The world can't go back to the way it was after this."

The qunari woman nods in full agreement at that. "No, it can't. Whatever happens now, it's not going back to the way it was. Even if some are deluded enough to want that, I'm fairly sure it's not possible. It'll be interesting to see what comes of this, though I hope there's enough of us left to ride out what happens afterward."

She shakes her head, nose wrinkling slightly. "That sounds so grim, doesn't it? Sorry, I didn't come here to bring down the mood when morale around here is shit anyway. As for the Templars, I can't say they've given me any grief around here but I don't go out of my way to spend any time near them. I hope they're not giving your clan any trouble."

"I don't seek them out either." At least not the ones still in their armor. If she's spoken to one in plain clothes accidentally, they haven't made it known that they're a Templar. "And so far, no one has said anything to my clan. It's possible we're not noticed with so much to do here."

"Fair point. Still, if there's tension and you need someone to stare them down, just ask me. I don't mind putting that innate talent to a good cause." Non-humans have to stick together, right? Especially non-human mages. "What sort of magic do you have, by the way? Are you one of the healers around here?"

Ellana shakes her head no, woefully lacking in healing skills, though she's quite good at placing protective barriers.

"Not a healer, I'm afraid. I prefer to use storm spells over anything else, but I rely on Frost Step too." She hasn't yet experienced true combat against an enemy wielding a weapon. Her fighting skills have been honed fighting off wolf packs who had come too close to the camp, trying to get at the halla.

That gets a pleased grin out of Korrin as she lowers her mug from another sip. "You don't say! That's my focus as well, for the most part. My first taste of magic was blasting hostile wildlife that ambushed me, so Storm spells have been a favorite ever since. No healing, though, unless you count potions."

"Well, that's a nice coincidence!" Ellana likes having that in common with a person so different from herself. Korrin must be well traveled, while Ellana has only moved here and there with her clan, giving human settlements a wide berth. Or at least that's been the case until now.

"I'm pretty good with barriers, so if I'm doing my job right, no one will need healing."

"Barriers are a life-saver, I'm just not as good at them as those...hm. Knight-Enchanters? I think that's the right term. They're indestructible." Or at least it seems that way, and Korrin can't help but shake her head in admiration. "Maybe I'll go that route, but we'll see. It's nice to have options."

"Oh? You could learn to be a Knight-Enchanter?" She thinks that sounds like an amazing opportunity, though she couldn't say if that would be for her, even if the first Knight-Enchanters were of the People.

"It's possible, yes, though I don't actually know any at the moment. That and I remember there was some mention of receiving a dispensation from the Chantry, which...no, but maybe it won't matter now. Without a Divine, they're all scattered anyway."

A believer in the Maker? Sure, why not. Andrastian to the point of bowing to the Chantry? Never.

"You do bring up a good point. Now that there are so many mages gathered together, there's much we can learn from each other. I don't know any specialized spells myself, but maybe I could learn, if any feel like they would be a good fit for me." And really, she just likes to keep busy. Being the third mage in her clan felt like she really didn't fit among them, but her Keeper was kind enough not to send her away to another clan after she lost her parents. It's left her trying to fill in the void she has from not being First or Second.

Korrin nods encouragingly, warming up to this idea. "With the amount of mages we have gathered and will join us, I'd bet there's a wealth of knowledge to be shared between them all. It doesn't just have to be about Dalish magic or that of the Circle. When it comes to the fight ahead, who knows what else will come in handy?" Minus blood magic, which just unsettles her beyond belief, but she'd rather not dwell on that. "It couldn't hurt to have the mages gather sometime, just to swap ideas and see where that leads."

Ellana nods excitedly. "I would love to learn new forms of magic, if anyone here is willing to teach it. I would do the same in return, but I think I only know the basics." Giving a brief smile, she continues, "I'm the third mage of my clan, so I've never been taught any specialization that a Keeper might have."

She tilts her head a little at that, somewhat curious about the Dalish and not really having had opportunities to learn about them before. Oh, she's seen them around, but either an assignment was in the way or she was bone-tired from said assignment or whatnot. "Really? Wouldn't it be wise to have more back-up, though? Not that I know how clans function, but I can't see why it'd hurt anything."

"It wasn't seen as necessary," she admits. "Our Keeper already had enough to do teaching three mages magic. The other two learned all they'll need to one day be a Keeper and a back-up, so with all that going on, it was easier on her to focus her efforts on two instead of three, once I had learned how to control my magic."

"Did you want that, though? To be Keeper or in line for it? What do extra mages do, then?" Korrin settles back in her chair, thinking back to her own training. "I never had any real competition; aside from my mentor and someone old enough to have completed their training, I was the only other mage. There was no specialized role awaiting me, though. Just mercenary life."

The question gives her pause and she sips at her drink before answering.

"I would have liked to be, yes. It would have given me greater purpose. But I don't blame my Keeper for that. She could have given me to another clan who needed a First, but-- but she wanted to keep me around." Ellana will always be grateful for that. After losing her parents, she hadn't wanted to leave behind the only people she knew.

"It's a special thing among the Dalish. Our Keeper is always a mage."

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